Snows of Kilimanjaro
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Ernest Miller Hemingway (1899-1961) was an American novelist and short story writer whose writings and personal life exerted a profound influence on American writers of his time and thereafter. He can easily be placed into the romantic tradition where like Wordsworth he preferred the common people, like Keats he loved the sensuous and like Byron he exaggerated the heroic attitude, but what Hemingway really was, was an American living in the twentieth century whose life and writings were influenced by what was happening in the world around him (Waldhorn 4).
Once having read Hemingway's biography and then examining his writings, it can be said that his writings are a study of his life. Most of his fiction was based upon or expanded on from events that he himself had experienced. Being a perfectionist, Hemingway did not feel comfortable writing about subjects that he was not completely familiar with. Through his extensive travels in Europe and Africa he was able to set the groundwork for many of his most famed writings (Young 144)
The short story The Snows of Kilimanjaro first appeared in Esquire in August 1936 and reflects Hemingway's concerns during the 1930's regarding his existence as a writer and his life in general. Hemingway, himself was quoted as saying "politics, women, drink, money and ambition damage American writers" (Mellow 23). His fear that his acquaintances with wealthy people might harm his integrity as a writer becomes apparent in this story. In fact, upon returning to New York after his African safari he said that he planned to work until he had enough money to return to Africa. As a result of this, a very wealthy woman offered to finance his trip to Africa along with his wife Pauline, and she would accompany them, she was stated as saying "money was only something to be used intelligently and for the enjoyment of good people"...